Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |location=Speedway, Indiana, USA |length=2.50 miles (oval) 2.605 miles (road course) |turns=4 (oval) 13 (road) |record='Oval course' F1: 61.59 seconds (Jim Rathmann, 1960 Indy 500) Overall: 37.895 seconds (Arie Luijendijk, IRL, 1996) Road Course 1:10.399 (Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari F2004, 2004 USGP |firstgp=1950 Indianapolis 500 |lastgp=2007 United States Grand Prix }} The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a motor racing circuit and oval speedway complex in Indiana, United States, which has held the Indianapolis 500 since 1911 (11 of which, 1950–60, were rounds of the Formula One World Championship) and the United States Grand Prix from 2000 to 2007. Circuit History Circuit Layouts Oval layout to 1960 in F1 and to this day in Indycar.]] The layout of the Indianapolis 500 is an oval track, with two main straights and four corners. The track runs in the opposite direction (counterclockwise) to the infield circuit configuration. It is precisely 2.5 miles (4.023 kilometres) long, and is still used for the Indianapolis 500. The two long straights are exactly miles, the short straights are exactly miles and the corners are miles. The corners are banked at 9.2 degrees. The four corners are identical and the straights are exactly parallel. Formula One layout The Grand Prix circuit ran clockwise, unlike the oval circuit, and spanned around half the oval circuit, using the same pit area as the oval track. The first two corners are at 90° angles, the first a right-hander, then a left-hander. Three right-hand bends follow, the first long, the second tightens, the third fast. Turn 6 is a long left-hander that lead directly into Turn 7. The back straight followed, before a 90° left turn which led into two slow hairpins, the first slightly tighter than the second (the hairpins were colloquially known as "Mickey" and "Mouse"). At the next corner, Turn 11, the cars started building up speed as the cars rejoined the oval track at turn 12. Turn 13, the only banked corner on the F1 calendar at the time, was taken flat out and this lead to the start/finish line. The banked corner, Turn 13 was the source of the problems that arose at the 2005 United States Grand Prix, because the Michelin tyres provided were not able to survive ten laps unless there was a reduction of speed on the corner, as Ralf Schumacher's accident testified. Bridgestone had no problems with the banked corner, as they also provided tires for the Indy Car series, and routinely made tires designed for banked ovals. Eventually, the fourteen Michelin runners chose to withdraw after the formation lap in the interests of safety, leaving the remaining six Bridgestone runners to race it out. After the tyre scam, Michelin opted to refund those fans who went to the race and that they would purchase 200 tickets to give for free for the 2006 United States Grand Prix. The corner that was Turn 13 has since been replaced from the Indianapolis road course by a short infield loop. 2008 road course Starting in 2008, the track held FIM motorcycle Grands Prix on a revised layout. The "Mickey Mouse" section was shortened into a moderate 90° right followed by a much tighter 90° left. And the high-speed banked Turn 1 of the oval, the scene of the problems of 2005, was circumvented with a run through the old "snake pit" infield section (so named because of rowdy reputation of fans camping there). The course made a tight, 180° right hairpin, followed by two quick 90° lefts and a sweeping right to put the track on the front straight. The length of the new configuration was 4.216 km/2.620 miles. Current road course Event history The following is a list of Formula One World Championship events held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Multiple Winners By Drivers By Constructors By Engine Suppliers Wins by Country Drivers Constructors Notes de:Indianapolis Motor Speedway Category:Circuits Category:Indianapolis 500 Category:United States Grand Prix Category:Circuits that Débuted in 1950 Category:Circuits in the United States